Below is a list of writers from India whose works are available in english.
India is one of the oldest civilazations in the world. Excavations in the Indus Valley have found civilizations that date back at least 5000 years. In 1500 BC Aryan tribes speaking Sanskit invaded from the northwest and formed with the local inhabitants a distinctly Indian culture. Buddhism was introduced in India in the 3rd century BC , but Hinduism eventually became the predominant religion of the country.
Moslem invaders established a foothold in the western part of India by the 8th century. Turkish moslems had gained control of northern India by 1200. The mogul emperors ruled India from 1526 - 1857.
The european powers began establishing trading ports throughout India and this gave them considerable power and influence in India. Vasco de Gama established Portuguese trading ports from 1498 - 1503, the Dutch followed. The British East India company arrived in 1609. Operating as the East India Company, the British gained control of most of India. The British parliament assumed the running of India from 1828 - 1835.
After World War One, nationalism grew very rapidly in India. A leader emerged named Mohandas K. Gandhi. He advocated non-violence, civil disobedience, the rejection of taxation without representation and the removal of the practice of "untouchables" from Indian life. He led a boycott of British goods. He was assasinated on January 30 1948.
In 1935, the British government gave India a new constitution. The "Moslem League" wanted the creation of a moslem state, now called Pakistan. Britain partitioned India into India and Pakistan. On January 26, 1950 India became self-governing and a member of the United Nations.
After years of various problems, India and Pakistan went to war on December 3 1971. Pakistani troops surrendered in the east on December 16. Pakistani troops agreed to a cease-fire in the west on December 17. The two countries resumed full diplomatic relations in 1976.
On January 26,1966 Mrs. Indira Gandhi became India's second prime minister. As a result of great deal of internal dissent, Indira Gandhi invoked the emergency provisions of the constitution and began to imprison political opponents, as well as censoring the press. Price controls were also adopted to protect small farmers and to increase productivity. Indira Gandi became the prime minister for a second time on January 14, 1980. She was assasinated on October 31, 1984 by Sikh extremists. Her son Rajiv became prime minister.
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